Immortality
by MayMargaret
Summary: Sequel to Mortality; The Cullen family is expanding, but their happiness is jeopardised when Alenia's brother takes a turn for the worst, and a new mistake comes back to haunt him.
1. Chapter 1

"When your love is reciprocated, it is the most pleasurable thing in the world."

Alenia smiled with little thought, and her eyes glided to the picture on her bedside table. The first, and only picture she had of the both of them, now both subjects as immortal as the photograph itself. She would sometimes make little lines up like that in her head, how she and Jasper would be as everlasting as themselves, because she didn't yet quite believe that she could be the most fortunate woman on the planet.

She placed the book to her side, knowing she wouldn't be able to concentrate on _Jane Eyre_ for much longer. She was so tired now, but she'd given up on sleep, like she had many times when thinking of him. But now, she wasn't conflicted, love lost or sick with worry that she wasn't good enough. The discarded dress draped over the back of her wicker chair served as a reminder that she wasn't lucid dreaming that proposal just last night. It had happened as much as Renesme's and Jacob's wedding, and soon that would be them. She felt like crying and laughing at once.

She wondered what he was doing now, whether his family knew, whether her own parents had an inkling. Her mother was a romantic somewhat like herself, so she probably would have been expecting it as soon as he sat at our dining table and offered him breakfast that morning. Her father on the other hand was a realist, and Jasper knew that. He would have requested permission.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed, and buzzed again, making a loud, attention seeking racket next to the picture. She knew who it would be, and didn't let it ring again.

"Hello?"

His breathy laugh sounded, the scratchy quality of the phone only slightly masking its beauty. "Thank goodness. I wasn't dreaming was I?"

I laughed giddily. "You don't dream, you don't even need sleep. I wish I didn't. I'm gonna regret this in the morning."

"Regret what?"

"Not beng able to sleep," she giggled. "Nothing more. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing that could divert my attention. I'm losing at chess to Emmett. How humiliating is that?"

"Oh, shameful, how will I ever be able to look you in the eye again," Alenia teased, and heard Emmett's guffaw in the background like an evil cackle. "At least he's happy, though."

"He's not the only one, this house is buzzing with that emotion, I can barely concentrate on my own."

She smiled instantly. "Good thing I'm not there, you'll explode."

"I wish you didn't need sleep, I'm at a loss here."

"Yes, well, you would insist on my maintaining my optimum level of health with sleep. I don't need as much as humans. You would be too much of a distraction."

"I'm not there, and yet you still can't sleep."

"Because I am gloriously happy, immortal and engaged to a man who will live as long as I. Now, I think we should tell our families tomorrow."

"Good, Edward keeps giving me the eye of suspicion."

"He's so convenient to have around, isn't he? Anyway, what time do you want us over?"

…

The next morning, Alenia was still brimming. Flying down the stairs, she caught a glance of her mother drinking coffee in the living room.

"Morning!"

Her head turned, surprised, and she grinned in return. "Morning, Cheshire Cat," she joked. "I take it you didn't get to sleep last night, its 11 30."

"Not really, we didn't get home until late anyway."

Her mother got up and motioned for her to sit. "Come on, ill get you breakfast. Any plans for the day?"

Alenia instead followed her mother into the kitchen, deciding to help instead of sitting. She had too much energy. "Well, we've been invited to the Cullen's house tonight, is that okay?"

"Well, I have no work, Dad's home, I've told Scott to plan nothing, my best dress is hanging up and-"

"Wait, what?"

Her mother stopped chopping fruit, and gave her an earnest, knowing look. "Sweet, I know. But don't worry, your father and brother know nothing. Esme and I have been talking about it, it's all arranged."

Alenia gave her mother a worried look. "What is? And how do you know?"

She simply put her fingers to her lips. "'Jasper is so good at detecting emotions, he's forgotten the ability to conceal his own as of late' were her exact words, mother's intuition I suppose. As for this evening, you'll just have to wait."

She didn't know whether to anticipate or dread it. Aleni left the room, wondering, butterflies in her stomach. Sure, it was a bit disappointing that she hadn't been able to tell her, but she knew she was happy for her. Afterall, she'd been expecting it.

…

Esme felt light, tingling with excitement for this evening. She'd given nothing away in terms of secret operations, and her practice in concealing thoughts served her as well as they always had. She felt smug, with power, feeling like a giddy young girl with her best friend. Nothing gave her more pleasure than to plan something to make others happy, and so far she'd never failed them. Alice's attempts were usually cursed, but now that she did it, they swam neatly, just as planned.

Humming quietly, she glided around the mansion. Everything was well. Rose and Emmett were at their new home, decorating, and Bella had taken Renesme and Alenia shopping. Edward, Jasper and Carlisle were hunting until 7pm, and now she was just waiting for Carla, the decorations, and the food from the caterers. You can't go too overboard for an engagement party!

Carla arrived, and they played music while they worked, and they enjoyed these times. It had been so long since she'd had girl talk, it had changed so much without her realising! They discussed their husbands, their children, how lovely their lives were. Carla learned about her life, which took a long time, so she countered it with telling her about England and her work. Like herself, she'd fallen in love with a man, knowing what he was. She didn't care. It was wonderful to meet someone who could relate.

In time, the house looked glorious, and all was timed beautifully. In the distance, she heard the car pull in simultaneously with the pending gather of footsteps beating on the ground. She was at the door when the hunting party had returned, and diverted them all upstairs to change for the supposed 'announcement'. Bella was under the same rouse, and her timeliness was perfect.

…

Alenia got out of the car, waving goodbye to Bella, still nervous. Jasper would be picking her up in 30 minutes, so she got ready as quickly as possible. She loved not having to wear make up. Since knowing what she was, her apparent beauty came through, so she was proud of how little time it took her to change. Jasper was waiting for her on the window frame when she returned from the bathroom to make finishing touches.

"You look more beautiful every time," he grinned cheesily. She blushed and shook her head. "More comments like that and In time you'll never see me blush again." She went to kiss him hello, and guided him downstairs. "I have suspicions by the way, something is afoot."

"You get that too?"

"My mom more or less said so. I don't know what, but youre not leaving my side."

He answered with an arm around her shoulder, and kissed her hair. Those shoulders felt warm now, warmer every day. Did that mean she was still changing?

The evening grew darker as the journey progressed, but no less beautiful. The purplish skies held depth as they drew higher, and the sihloettes of the trees reminded Alenia of that field, the field in which Jasper had diminished all her doubts, her fears, any obstacles between her and happiness. He squeezed her hand knowingly.

The lights were on in the mansion, including the upper floors. Hand in hand, they approached it like a beautiful, potentially dangerous object.

…

Something like nervousness grew within the pit of his stomach. Whether it was over the announcement, or the suspicion that something was brewing, he wasn't sure. He was thrilled that the day had finally come where he could tell everyone he was marrying his soul mate, so it was probably that. Anticipation.

The house was buzzing with voices, people getting ready, and additional voices matching to particular smells. Werewolves, and not just Jacob. Esme flitted through to the hall with forced composure. "Good evening, my dear, I hope you're well? Your parents and brother are just downstairs."

She led them both through the down the steps leading to the downstairs lounge, and waited at the door. "Okay."

…

Behind the door, the room was lit only by candle light. Hundreds of them, all around, reflected in the doors standing just behind a numerous groups of people, most of whom I recognised from the wedding, talking among themselves. The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation and curiosity, but really neither of the couple could take much notice. The room was stunning, and Jasper was beyond grateful. It certainly beat awkward conversations with the two families over wedding dates.

Within seconds they were in the crowd, staying together while holding separate conversation. A few minutes later, Esme and Carla connected their eyes to them with meaningful stares. "You're up," Carla mouthed. Jasper lead Alenia to the nearest step for attention, and eyes followed them.

"Okay everyone, if I could have your attention for one moment, im sure you're wondering why youre all here. First off, I'd like to thank all of you for coming, and even more particular members of our families for arranging this." He looked to Alenia, who was just as captured as everyone else, anticipating the words. "do you want to do the honours?"

The idea of talking in front of a large group normally frightened her. But not now, she would be the one to confirm this, that she was engaged to this man and he was hers in return. She was proud, in the moment, and the luckiest person in the world. "We're engaged!" She announced, holding up her hand, grinning shamelessly, and instantly they were amass of applauds and hugs and handshakes and congratulatory kisses. They music seemed louder, more upbeat, even over the excited voices, and Alenia just managed to catch Esme bringing in a huge cake, tiered and covered in what looked like diamonds. She was being hugged by people she only just recognised, but she couldn't care less. She welcomed them with happiness and acceptance.

…

The evening's festivities drew to a gradual close, one family leaving by the next as it entered the early hours. Some had jobs, some had families, and others had the night to steal for themselves. The red eyes, only a few of whom had appeared, hastily made their exit by the smell of a human; Edward knew, and he didn't tell the others. Everyone in that room was safe now, but the ones who'd been, until the last couple of months, leading human lives, wouldn't be able to be so flippant about it. Suspicion was on occasion better than confirmation.

He made eye contact with Bella, who was recounting the woes of planning their wedding with Alice, and for once, they laughed. Conversations were becoming less and less awkward about her now, and the more Carla and her daughter learned about the old Alice, the more they softened to the memory of the only one Alenia had encountered. Her thoughts were never outstandingly harsh towards her, not after finding out the reason for her breakdown. She knew she would react the same way; she would have dreams, she told him once, of the vision Alice had allowed her to see. Her pain would radiate so far, Jasper would return from his hunt within minutes just to ease her to sleep.

He caught himself smiling at the images running through his wife's mind as she talked, the stiletto practices and the dress rehearsals, her panics over matching napkins with the correct silverware. It was times like those that he loved his sister, even though she caused his wife unusually high blood pressure. He missed her at times.

But now, he was glancing at all the faces that made his misfit family better than ever; Carlisle could now relax into conversation with Michael, and not have to monitor Jasper's blood lust. Esme was happy with a friend she could soon call sister, and Scott was coming more and more out of his shell, now that he was getting over the shock of all the beautiful faces he had to endure at the wedding. Again, Edward laughed at the boy's panic when their Alaskan cousins introduced themselves. Smooth operator.

"Sup bro," Emmett commented. Edward didn't even realise he was next to him. "Hmm."

Silence ensued for a while, but Emmett always had a motive. "Sup bro" was actually a code. Yet, with endless patience, he waited. It was no use trying to penetrate Emmett's mind with all the obscene traps lying in wait.

"So…So! What's it like having a werewolf who kissed your wife and then imprinted on your baby daughter for a son in law?"

Edward closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He was waiting for this, considering how often Emmett summarised the situation before the wedding. The first time he commented on it was not long after Renesme finally stopped growing, and the family was on edge anyway, with Alice. Needless to say, they took it outside.

"We're handling it."

At this point, Bella had stopped staring, but Edward could see the wicked smile on her face. At once, Emmett's face was an image of anger. "Hey! Not fair!"

His walls were down, and Edward received the memory she'd just thrown at him of her defeating him in an arm wrestle. And the numerous ones even afterwards. If he could go red, he would be. It managed to shut him up, anyway.

Emmett slumped to the side, just behind Edward, each leaning on a part of the door frame to the garden. "What about our new extended family, then?"

Edward gave one more clarifying glance. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. Its different, you know? Feels different. More…relaxed."

Edward nodded, and Emmett shifted to the over side of the door frame. "I know they still talk about her, but now I don't even miss her as much as I did. Its like she never even existed in this family."

Again, Edward nodded, but slowly, thoughtfully. He was right, he still missed her too. But only on occasion. "Sometimes I think that's a good thing."

"What d'you mean?"

Shifting the guilt aside, which had been receding over the last few weeks, he admitted the truth as he found it. "If Alice was still here, as she had been, Jasper would have never found Alenia. Alice belittled his self-control, and if affected everyone. She was a hypocrite."

"But you still haven't answered my question."

"I think I have."

…

Time ticked by, and the party further dwindled, and Alenia felt her body ache with the long day behind her. That was how she knew she was about to be tired, and yet she didn't want to sleep. She never wanted to sleep again, but she knew she had to. She felt like a petulant child again.

Wordlessly, Jasper took her hand from behind and led her away, and soon the cool night air was against her skin.

Once they were just about to enter the forest, he turned, kissed her, and smiled devilishly. "Wanna race?"

She matched his smile with an evil grin, pecked his cheek, and darted from sight.


	2. Chapter 2

He beat her, just by a second, a second where her awakened eyes caught him leap down from a tree to give himself advantage, and her ears caught the wicked laughter ahead as he entered the meadow before her. She in turn darted up onto a branch so he couldn't see her, and when panic began sifting within the playful glint of his eyes, she pounced on his back and dragged him to the ground.

"You underestimate me, sir," she teased, straightening his collar. He brushed the hair from her eyes and rolled her onto her back. "You overestimate my control, Mrs Hale."

Heavens that felt good to hear out loud. She let him feel the emotion he'd evoked, and he nestled his forehead into hers. "I know."

Silence draped over them like a safety blanket, and she felt her shallow breath slow even more, until she barely noticed the oxygen hadn't entered her lungs for a few moments. She frowned lightly.

"You're just learning to drop the human habits, you don't need them."

"Jasper, my blood needs oxygen."

He lifted his head to look into her eyes. She continued. "I'm still mostly human, and that part needs oxygen. I can't just stop breathing," she said, ending with nervous laughter at the idea. He continued his unblinking gaze. "You haven't breathed for a full minute and 10 seconds. Do you feel dizzy?"

She waited for it to come. Then she shook her head, defeated.

"Is it normal for something like me to continue changing? With Renesme it-"

"She just stopped growing. When that happened, she realised that she too had simply adopted traits from Jacob and the humans around her, and from memories of Bella as a human. Now, you can barely tell her from us full ones. With you, the change is just slower. It's taken longer for the vampire part to gain the upper hand."

She felt dizzy now, trying to comprehend all the changes and stabilizations happening within her. What would stop next? The thoughts that answered terrified her.

"What about my heart?"

He looked away slightly, just a minute glance, but it mattered. It spoke more words than she wished to hear, even in his velvet voice.

"What frightens you about your heart?"

The human part of her would have blushed a few months ago, but now, she could say things that she would never have dreamed of saying out loud before Jasper.

"I don't want it to stop beating; I'll miss how it reacts when I see you."

He chuckled and kissed her nose. "Alenia, I fell in love with you with a still heart, and my very being rattled instead. Animals with faster heart beats tend to live shorter lives, so I'd be dead by now."

Alenia laughed, and kissed his forehead in return. "Thank heavens you don't have a beating heart then."

She nudged Jasper to the side and replaced herself on his chest, considering. In the last few of months since she learned of her nature, she had managed to match him in speed, almost strength, and now she had to learn to stop the now surplus task of inflating and deflating her lungs. With that her heart would slow, and cease to beat altogether.

What came next in the causal chain of events made her nauseated.

"Jasper, I won't be eating…normal food…soon, will i?"

In answer, he simply hugged her tight until she felt safe. "You'll be fine, I promise."

She believed him. She had to.

…

On protocol, Scott checked his watch again. "2:55 am." He even made himself shake his head in disapproval, and his mother tutted while his dad patted his shoulder. "Come on, you get neurotic when you're sleep deprived."

"I'm neurotic when I'm not, I'll go up soon."

Carla shook her head. "Well, on your head be it when you and your under-eye circles meet those cousins for the next wedding."

"They have them too," he said petulantly, his pale skin blushing lightly. By that time, he might not even have to sleep to be deprived from it. Not much, anyway. He could easily stay up until she came home.

"Mike?" Carla motioned half way up the stair case. Michael hesitated, and then held up one finger, asking for a moment. She nodded, disappeared, and he waited until the door closed behind her upstairs.

"Talk to me." He sat in the arm chair closest to his son, on one end of the sofa, and leaned his elbows on his knees. "Please."

"You're not worried? She'd out at this time with him and you're not worried? Its been 5 months since they met and they're engaged? Nothing about that tripping you up?"

"Scott, she's a grown up now. Besides, you mother and I were engaged within two months and a week. We were about their…well…her age."

Scott threw his hands up derisively. "There! How old is he? I'm not sure even he knows!"

"As far as I'm concerned he's twenty one, and has the morals of someone much older. He's…respectable."

He considered this, and slumped in his seat. He had no argument, and he felt sick that he was no longer able to defend his sister's honour. What ever happened to table interrogations at breakfast?

"You trust him, that's what is worrying you."

"Hmm?"

Michael's expression had settled into amused understanding. "All this checking the time, refusing to sleep, its because you trust him to protect her, and that goes against your principles."

"What, my principles covering my sister and vampires?"

Again, Michael rubbed his son's shoulder as he stood. "She's one, too, as are you and i."

Scott hated hearing that reality, because it put things in perspective. Before moving to America, he was a young human adult, one that hadn't known he was made of stronger, faster stuff. He never had chance to be arrogant about it; he knew their nature before his own.

Now, just as he was getting to grips with it, things were changing within him. He could feel it as he sat there, his extra sense ultra-aware of his father's eyes boring into his skull.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He looked up, his eyes round with alarm. "Yes. We should trust them because we have to." Because before I start accusing him of wanting the little human blood still left in her, I must consider how my comments may be conceived as hypocritical in the future. Perhaps sooner than I think, he silently added.

"Good," Michael replied. "Now, bed. I'll make sure I'm here when she gets home."

Scott stretched his long legs out before him, earning several cracks, crying out for rest. He winced at the noise, stretching the rest of him as he stood, and lumbered up. "Night."

Before throwing himself into the covers that gave him that 'come hither' look, he caught a glance of himself in the mirror of the landing. Even in the dark lighting, his skin was pale. Pale white, but not unhealthy. He also recognised the under eye bruises shading themselves beneath his eyes, a light brown flecked with random shades of green. He'd never noticed those before, and there seemed to be even more of them as the days went by. His sharp eyes scrutinized his skin; smooth like a male model. Hell, he looked like one.

Hmm. Maybe he'd have a chance with one of those cousins…

Nah. His bed was his lady, and his aching limbs couldn't stabilise him any longer.


	3. Chapter 3

"Scott!"

The first thing he heard was white noise. The next was the transition of soft whispers calling, to slight concern, to a voice screaming. He felt he would recognise the voice, or even what it was calling, but he couldn't quite grasp those memories. He couldn't grasp anything beyond numbness.

That numbness became discomfort.

Suddenly, he let out a wail before he could send the signal to his mouth to wail, and then came the pain that told his voice what to do before the rest of his body. Every part of him was on fire, but his body was wooden. He couldn't move, nor could he hear anything. His screaming, he soon came to realise, was in his own mind, sinking in to the background like water down the drain, once having substance. But now it had drowned in the pain, so intense that screaming did it an injustice.

Still, he heard that word, and a few others, as panicked as the last.

"Scott! Wake up! Please, come on!"

He had no clue who it was, or what it wanted from him. He had no time for them anyway, he could only wait and hurt and reel until his mind's ears were deaf.

…

"Alenia, Alenia please, Alenia!"

Her eyes coaxed open to the mother's figure rushing into her room and back again, then back in. "Alenia!"

The light burst through her eyes with invasive arrogance and then found Carla, who had her hands braces towards her. Relief swelled in her expression, but the tears kept streaming.

"What is it?" She asked, and cleared her throat. She could barely remember even getting to her room.

Carla rushed out, grabbing Alenia's arm on the way. "It's your brother, he's not waking up."

They found Michael sat on the edge of the bed, calmly shaking Scott's chest with one hand. "Son, come on. Stop messing."

Scott lay still, peacefully sleeping in his shirt and black jeans from the previous night, apparently unchanged. Alenia had noticed how pale he was becoming, and no changes processed now. He was just sleeping.

"Check his pulse."

Her father looked back at her with tired eyes, rationality battling with dread. He turned back, and traced Scott's neck. It found the spot, and then after a few seconds traced another. "Nothing."

A thud echoed through Alenia's feet, and she sunk to put her arms around Carla's slumped body. "Call the ambulance," her muffled voice wept into her own lap. She looked tiny.

"Mom, you know we can't do that. Look, Jasper explained, Scott and I are going to change, this might just be part of it."

Alenia met Michael's eyes for support, but they looked sunken. He stood robotically, and patted her head. "What did he say?"

Her voice rushed out breathlessly, sometimes stumbling over words. "He said that the vampire part has just been trying to gain the upper hand, and as the change happens, we'll become more like them. Eventually, we stop changing and we're the same thing. Breathing, eating, heart beats, all that goes.

"What Jasper didn't tell you is that sometimes the change is too much, and the body will reject it," he retorted coldly. "Not every human survives the transition."

"But what happens when the change starts taking place? Bella told me! The body paralyses itself and it's like dying, but you wake up as one of them. She remembers it, and so do the others. It's the same as what's happening now, he's just changing-"

"Changing into _what_, Ali?!" He mother erupted. Her face contorted into one of immense panic. "What on _earth_ will we have living under our roof? What will he do for food? How the hell can we keep him here if that happens?"

"Car-"

"NO! I know I'm not one of you in that sense, and that terrifies me around them. Esme's told me things too, you know. Newborns, she called them, they all come out of it with one thing on their mind; food. What will _I_ do against him?"

Alenia's mind swam and her voice was drowning. "Are you saying you want him _not_ to live through this?"

Her father crouched down. "Alenia, Carla, lets just get to bed and reassess ourselves. What youre saying, sweetheart, makes sense, and we'll just wait and see. That's not what your mother is saying."

Carla slumped beneath Alenia's limp arm, and she stood. Trancelike, she made her way to the room, leaving her parents to discuss whatever the hell Carla implied.

…

The next morning was painful to endure, and school felt like a welcome haven. The dining room table was met with one empty seat, and the absence of Scott's sarcasm was felt, with only the person left upstairs. Alenia thought that, when it happened to her, he would liken the situation to Gremlins, and she would be the questionable creature in the pod. The thought was absent and met with no humour, but it was real. His body was the pod, and whatever was inside him was changing. She felt sick, and guilty. Had the Cullen's activated something, or was it a change just waiting to happen, an object in constant motion no matter what the hell crossed its path?

The only person she could ask about the situation was just Bella, because her memories were fresh. She would use her gift, but it felt invasive. From what she had gathered, age had changed each of them; mentally, Carlisle was ancient, and Jasper not much younger. He was quite different from the naïve green eyed boy on horseback.

The car of the man in question sounded itself outside, followed by quiet footsteps, her hearing ever impressing her. He didn't have to knock anymore; she greeted him in a flash.

"What's wrong?" were the first words. Of course, he could sense it.

She shook the question away and pulled the door to a close, towing her bag over her shoulder. "Tell you on the way."

In the car, silence fell, and his concern intensified. "Well?"

Her eyes fell on her hands. How would she explain? She couldn't say he was dead, but she didn't know.

"How do you explain the period of change that takes place while you're changing?"

She looked up, and he frowned at her. "I call it simulated death, I guess, why?"

"Ok. Scott…he may be in…" her faltered around the words. Her breath shook its way from her lips. "Scott's erm…" A tear tickled her cheek. "He's not waking up."

All Jasper answered with was a short exhalation of breath, so cold she caught the mist in her peripheral vision. His hand laid itself delicately onto her shaking one. "It would be best he is taken to our house, for safety."

"What will he turn into? Will he be the same, you know, as you?"

She was looking at his lips sharply, monitoring every uncertain move they made, before they stopped and changed what they were going to say. "I'm not certain. He may be like every newborn, the phase may last a shorter period of time. On the other hand he may be unchanged personality wise, just without an appetite for whatever he litters the house with," he explained offhandedly, sending a teasing look her way. Alenia just felt exhausted all of a sudden. She adjusted so her body rested into the seat, and stared out the window.

"Id rather that than blood everywhere."

Jasper left her to her thoughts for the last few moments of the journey to school, and she wondered herself in circles.

Jasper was a newborn once, and she'd witnessed how that went for him. She felt his torture in her dreams as he killed, created, and killed the created. Some of them were for sport, some were for Maria, some were on her orders and some were mercy killings.

But Jasper was Jasper now, a man kinder than his human self with better morality than anyone. She was going to spend the rest of her life with a man who considered himself a monster; would her brother be the same?

Or would he turn out just like Rowan? Sneaking into rooms in the dead of night, teasing and killing and all for the sake of a woman; Alice. That scenario matched suspiciously well to that of Jasper's.

Then the loop started again.

"Jasper, can you calm me down please?"

At once a wave of calm washed over her, and they arrived in the parking lot.


	4. Chapter 4

The morning passed without incidence. English flew by, Math dragged by, and then it was break, and Alenia found Jasper next to his car. Edward was with him, his mouth moving at rapid speed. Jasper was watching intently, and, as she pushed her hearing closer, Alenia realised no voice left Edward's lips.

"What's going on?" She asked, wrapped herself inside Jasper's already outstretched arm. He shook his head shortly. "He's figuring something out. This is his thing, can't be in his own head for long so he thinks…kind out out loud. Good news, Scott's going to be okay."

She breathed a sigh of relief, and grabbed her phone. She called Carla, who didn't answer. She text her, and sent the same to Michael. _Scott's fine; Edward._

They'd figure it out.

"It's strange seeing you move that fast," Edward observed, his voice impressed and his eyes engaged in the present. "I could barely catch it."

"Why thankyou. And thanks for checking on Scott, I appreciate it."

Inwardly, she threw up the barriers between her relief and the doubts she still had. His survival, as Carla pointed out, meant that, by Jasper's explanation, he would be dangerous. Carla, their human mother, would be the first he would go to.

"Class?" Jasper offered, and the trio left the car lot. Alenia was still adjusting to the number of students staring as they, or she, came into sight. She could be arrogant about it, but inside she felt like their privacy was being violated. Jasper, as she looked up at him, continued his usual icey cold stare at the male students as they entered the main building, before turning back to her. "Human males truly are disturbing. It's like they've never seen you before."

Alenia turned and giggled at her fiancé, whose ultra-protective streak she found adorable. Another time when his accent sunk further into its southern routes, and that was always good. She was only grateful that he didn't have his brother's gift, one she knew frequently distressed him during school hours. She'd know how bad it truly was in history; just one month ago, she'd walked into school with each of the Cullen's from break, and Edward snapped several pencils in one go during a lecture about the romans.

She and Edward parted ways with Jasper in the corridor and made their way to History. It wasn't always as fun as Edward's little silent tantrums, often she would see some of the girls make small scowls her way, for whatever reason. She sat at the back next to Edward anyway, just to keep out of it. Edward never told her exactly they were thinking, but she guessed from his returning ice cold glares that it wasn't anything to be overly concerned about.

The lesson, as always, dragged, and the bell sounded with the glorious announcement that Jasper would be waiting outside, which he was. The day blended into lunch, English, then back to the car lot a final time. It occurred to Alenia then that Bella hadn't turned up that day.

Edward strode over, alone, and touched the hand that wasn't in Jasper's. In her head she saw a misty house, her own, and Bella sat in the wicker chair she'd taken from Alenia's room, watching over Scott.

"She's the newest of us all, so when he wakes she can stop him. Talk to him."

"You think he's nearly…ready?" Man, he sounded like a cake.

He nodded uncertainly. "Its happened quite quickly, but its been in his body all his life. He could wake at any moment."

…


	5. Chapter 5

Man, it was good she could sit for hours without the need to fidget. She felt like a nurse from decades before, doing a vigil for a coma patient. Every so often Carla would tiptoe past, poke her head in, and think about asking whether she wanted anything, before realisation popped upon her and she walked back off. Bella thought of Charlie, the Anti-Hoverer, and how much Carla and Rene were similar in that aspect. Enthusiastic, overbearing at times, hovering at random moments.

Stretching her legs before her, she stood and admired Scott's dvd collection. She'd never really spoken much to him, but he was similar to Jake in some ways. Maybe with hints of Emmett. Emmett could only really tolerate those as boisterous and weird as he was. The video games and movie tastes were definitely similar. Action, horror, thriller, no romance, no drama. No wonder the guys got along with him. She also noticed the distinct lack of vampire movies, perhaps the ones in which they burned in sunlight and slept in coffins. She had the same misconceptions of vampires in her own human years.

She heard a popping sound, and turned on her heal to find Scott, laying there, his eyes wide open. What she noticed about those eyes intrigued her, but not surprised.

"Stay still, you're safe," she assured him. He knew that was true, of course, the power would be surging through his body too surely to be ignored. She sat back in her chair, and leaned over to view his eyes. Sure enough. Like Renesme, before her version of changing, he'd retained some of his own eye colour. Renesme's were deep brown still, with only flecks of amber. Scott's were strikingly green, with a few flecks of red. Half and half, really, and eerily beautiful.

Bella only saw them for a second or so, before he dashed into a standing position.

"Scott, please, relax."

He stared at his own feet for a moment, and then his hands darted from his sides to hold out before him, looking at them like rapid aliens. Turning them around, he tested each limb, his eyes, his smell, and then stuck his head out of the open window, completely ignoring the other vampire in the room.

"How do you feel?"

He poked his head back in, his eyes wide and somewhere in between nerves and fear and excitement. "Im not sure," he began, looking away at the sound of another body in the house. "Not much different I guess."

Well, that was a start. Thirty seconds of being awake and he was still in the room. It was amazing that he'd not gone after his mother yet. Although, perhaps exposure to the vampire world prepared him in the way that it had for her…

"Look in the mirror, Scott," she advised, recalling again her first encounter with the stunning vampire she barely recognised as herself. She knew that he's be just as stunned. He left the room on orders, visibly a little confused by her words, and found the landing mirror. He stood before it for a few moments, still and lifeless, and then began tugging at his almost black hair, with hints of shiny golden-brown. His skin was paler, but held the life her own daughter's had retained. His eyes held him in place when he met them, and his hands froze.

"I know this is difficult, believe me, but trust me, once you get over the hunger-"

"Hunger?"

Bella frowned. "You don't feel it?"

He turned to her, but his eyes were far away, perhaps seeking out the hunger of which she spoke, like a foreign word. "No, why?"

Bella stared at him like he'd grown an additional torso. "Y-yes, erm," she began, struggling to recall the last time she stumbled over her words like that. "Scott, you've changed now. That means, you're as close to being a full vampire than anything. You should feel a hunger."

"Should, but I don't. Is that theory of yours certain?"

Although she was truly testing him, it was correct that in the first few days, he would feel something. That was when something like him chose; blood or not. Renesme, for Jake, chose not, but Bella was still able to recall the struggle, even around Charlie, her beloved grandpa. Looks like Scott had also chosen not.

"Is it dangerous? What would have happened if I'd felt it?" Scott quizzed, and bella mentally shook herself out of her reverie before looking back into his eyes. The red was, indeed, still there.

"I only have my daughter to compare you with, but yes. Its dangerous. That's why im here," she explained. He nodded, looking away and then back in a quick motion. "If that's the case, then why is Carla still in the house? If im truly potentially as dangerous as that, why keep my very human mother within a few feet of me?"

"She wouldn't leave, and it stood as a pretty decent test, evidently. You still regard her as your mother, whereas in the first few weeks, sometimes months, even their own children can be appetising to a newborn." Humans could be like an alcoholic chocolate to someone who was dependant, she added silently.

"But, I'm not a newborn," he countered, motioning his finger to make the point. "I've had this...whatever it is…in me all my life, and its been a gradual change. I know that now, because I don't feel much different to how I felt when I fell asleep." He glanced down at his own creased clothes. "Could have been worse, eh?" He observed, amused. "Least I don't have two fangs pointing out the front of a bald head."

She gave a short laugh, and, knowing he was okay, resolved to fetch Carla.

"Wait here."

…

The woman left his room, and the awkwardness instantly drifted off. He'd never really spoken much to her, just formalities, but she seemed nice. Understanding, definitely, because she was the newest of the bunch. Maybe that's why she was there; the distance between them made him easier to deal with, should he be out of control. In the few moments he had alone, he collected himself. He felt…odd. But not too far from normal. It was a physical thing, like the sleep he'd experienced had regenerated more cells than normal, like he'd gained extra strength simply by saving it, with interest. He turned again to make his way to the mirror, and stared at his face. He was thankful it was still him, thankful that he wasn't a toothy git with snake eyes or burning to a cinder in path of a single beam of light. He was able, however, to catch the particles floating within that beam of light, stretching right through his curtains to the side of his neck, pale and lean and muscular but still his own neck. He caught each particle as it clashed and interrupted the light, making new and unrecognizably vivid colours before they dashed away. Everything seemed to be slowed down, because he could see it, but he noticed no change in speed.

He was too preoccupied to notice before the two individuals standing at the base of the stairs, but a distinct breathing pattern sparked his attention. He turned, but didn't move further. His mother was frightened. He could see it, sense it, hear it and smell it. But it only made him sad, and less reluctant to move. Instead, he waved his hand in a quick motion. "Hey."

The Bella woman looked between them, visibly relieved for her defeated expectations. Carla, however, was still weary.

"Carla, it's okay. He's not dangerous."

That irritated him slightly; he wasn't exactly a giant bear at the top of the stairs. It didn't exactly help Carla, either, who was rooted to the carpet beneath her socks.

Silence had fallen, but its depth wasn't really noticed until the door went. Two quiet taps, and Carla and Scott flinched. Bella, however, opened the door to welcome Alenia, alone thankfully. He couldn't take anymore vampireness right now.

"Scott!" she exclaimed happily, and shot up the stairs to be near to him. Carla whimpered at how fast her movements were. "How're you feeling? Jasper told me that Bella text him to say you were okay, and that you didn't feel _that _hunger, that's great! How are you?"

He softened and laughed at his neurotic little sister, who had indeed become a little more accustomed to showing just how neurotic she was; almost as much as him. He smiled warmly at her. "In answer to the two of your questions, I'm fine. Bit weird but I'm fine."

"You've always been a bit weird," she observed, her eyes beaming. Scott revelled in the happiness she felt that he was okay, and when she took his arm to drag him downstairs, he followed suit. He followed until they were just two steps above the two women, facing him.

"Mom, he's fine, really."

"Yep, not like a gremlin at all."

Carla exhaled sharply, as though she'd been holding her breath the entire time, and her eyes cleared as though a film had settled over them. Bella backed away into the front room silently.

"What did you expect then, some Hulk moves? I'm not quite sure I can turn green, but as of yet most of my knowledge of vampires has hit the fan. Ya never know-"

In a move even Scott didn't feel he was capable of matching the speed of, Carla threw her arms around his neck and dragged him over the last two steps to hug him. Ever the emotional one, he scorned, but couldn't ignore how it made him feel. He hugged her back, careful not to crush her.


	6. Chapter 6

Truth be told, it was difficult to let her enter the house alone at first, but now, Jasper felt the emotions radiate from the house like a positively charged magnet, even from the car. He knew that Alenia thought he suspected Scott would be less than cooperative at first, and she would be right, damn her insight. But each time he scorned himself for thinking so poorly of his future brother in law, the man to whom he bared a slight resemblance drifted back into his memory. While he never knew Riley, he'd been talked about by his family and on the news as a good person. He also knew from personal experience how much the venom could change such a good person.

His phone buzzed beneath his hand in his jacket pocket, and he opened the text. Bella.

_Scott has questions. Take Alenia, I'll take him and Carla in my car._

He nodded internally, and relocked his phone. He pushed himself with his foot from leaning on the car and approached the house.

Alenia opened the door, and her walk had a certain skip. She was beaming when she hugged him.

"Thank you," she breathed in Jasper's ear, and he smiled in wonderment. "What for?"

She pulled away. "Preparing us."

He pecked her forehead, and both entered the car. Jasper drove as the others filed from the house. They drove in silence until the mansion, but Jasper loved those moments. When they could just feel and relish each other's happiness and relief. Their gifts, and her insight, granted them that much.

…

Carlisle strolled from the mansion graciously, a welcoming smile on his features.

"Alenia, Jasper," he greeted, and caught sight of the oncoming vehicle through the trees. "It would seem we have a lot to cover this evening. Please, come on in."

The house seemed unusually quiet, until a loud roar radiated from upstairs, followed by a crash, laughter and a string of profanities. Jasper cursed under his breath, and Alenia chuckled. She guessed what had happened before Carlisle explained from behind.

"Emmett's new game isn't as favourable to him after all. It would seem Edward's winning." He couldn't hide the amusement that seeped into his concern that Emmett had broken something valuable.

"We'll go into the lounge through there," he motioned ahead, "it'll be quieter."

We each turned to the sound of Bella opening the door for Carla, and a slightly weary looking Scott. In the clear light of the Cullen house, the change in Scott's appearance suddenly became more pronounced. As Jasper had observed in the field, you could barely tell the difference between him and the others. But the differences must only be able to be observed with vampire eyes, because she couldn't miss the light flush still in his cheeks, just as much as the eyes froze her. In the light, the red flecks were all the more visible. Her mind flew back to Rowan, for the first time in weeks.

"Scott, Carla, please, we were just about to go through. Make yourselves at home. Bella? I believe Edward needs tearing away from the game."

She frowned, and then smiled in the knowledge of his competitive streak. "I'll deal with him."

Wordlessly they all found a seat in the lounge. Scott sat next to Carla on one, a slight gap between them. On the other half of the corner sofa Jasper and Alenia sat, automatically closing the gap and their hands a nest in his lap. Carlisle took the arm chair, and Bella and Edward stood next to the grand piano by the window.

Silence fell again, someone waiting for someone to start. It wasn't awkward, however, but too many unanswered questions and queries floated in the air to settle on the first one.

Carlisle stood, drawing attention to himself, and every eye turned to him as though he were a teacher.

"Well, Scott, I believe you have many questions, as do we, I trust."

Eyes then turned to Scott, who nodded, staring at the man as though he were captioning the obvious. "Y-yes."

"Okay then, well, take your time."

…

He shuffled uncomfortably at the attention, and met each and every eye save for the man at the front. Once he questioned why all these people had to be here as this happened, he found an answer. One was the youngest, so she knew. His mother was the human witness he'd not attacked, his sister was in the same boat. Edward and Jasper had gifts that may help pool more ideas other's were not sure of, and Carlisle had all the answers. It was impossible how wise and ancient he looked, since he was and looked only in his early 20's. How much he looked like a knowing old father despite the perfectly youthful appearance. It frightened him, how much his comprehension of the world, and the people in it, had to change.

"I guess, right now, I just want to know why I don't feel…hungry. Your kind of hungry."

Carlisle nodded. "I suppose this stage is different for everybody. Of course, we only have Renesme as our example of a half-born vampire, and her hunger lasted a few weeks. Thankfully, however, she is just fine."

"Bella didn't feel as hungry as the rest of us when she awoke, and that was due to exposure to us, we believe. Could that be a possible reason?" Edward chimed in.

Carlisle thought for only a short moment, but even Scott found the kink in the theory. He answered before Carlisle. "Wouldn't that stand true for her then? She's been with you all of her life, and she still struggled."

His sister sat up straighter, a sign that she was about to speak. Edward, in the other side of his peripheral vision, nodded. "That's a good point."

"What is?"

"Maybe its because he's been raised as a human. Maybe the lack of exposure to vampires, not knowing for so long, has meant that even while he's had the venom within him, and while he's now changed, he still is essentially human. It's been a gradual change."

Ever the smart one, she could be right. But Scott, as begrudgingly trapped in his mind as he was, wasn't satisfied. He didn't like 'mind over matter'. He liked a physical reason, like his blood and the venom had fused to make an antidote. Like his brand of vampire didn't go after blood. Maybe he just loved fried chicken and carbohydrates too much to be able to sacrifice them.

But it didn't stand with him that his mind had so much power over his biological urges. He needed something better than that.

"Scott, the fact that you didn't attempt to kill your mother is a good enough reason to trust mind over matter," Edward suggested. Bella agreed. "When I was changed," she began, "I couldn't trust myself around Charlie for weeks, and these even kept my _half vampire _child away from me, in case I was attracted to the human blood in her. You sensed Carla, but you didn't even flinch."

He spoke without thinking then, needing more than stories from others. He had to clarify for himself. "Still, I'd just like some time where im kept from the…_humans. _Just in case. If you only have Renesme as an example, then there's no telling what will happen with me."

Everyone fell quiet, but the room buzzed with everyone's considerations. For the first time since having first spoken, Scott glanced square into Carla's eyes, which were looking upon him with pride, relief, and only a hint of fear. He then found the gap between them on the sofa represented by a patch of off white leather, and his own, internal doubts explained that. He may lose control at any second.

"That sounds logical, just to be safe."

All eyes turned to Jasper, who was the only one who'd not spoken a word until now. Of everyone, until that point, Scott hadn't been able to find a reason for him to be there, in that meeting, until then. Until then, Scott had been reluctant to accept him. He knew why now, and it answered why he was there, too. His father was right. He trusted him.

Like him, he just wanted Alenia safe.

"Hmm, I think it is," Carlisle mused, folding his arms over his broad chest. "But, his own house isn't the best place to keep someone safe."

He sat down, but Scott had a feeling that such an intelligent man had already found the alternative staring right between the eyes.

"Carla, would you mind if your son stayed here for a small while? He makes a very valid point; with so few examples to judge by, he is potentially very unpredictable. Scott, what do you think?"

He simply nodded, not knowing how to feel. He knew it was right, but he felt like a rabid Alsatian.

"Good, and, don't for a second consider yourself inprisoned."

That was when Esme chimed in from her spot in the doorframe, unnoticed by Scott. "Of course dear, you are our guest."

…

Alenia stayed with Scott and Jasper for a few hours as Scott settled into his room, a large, sparse room, and, like all the bedrooms of the Cullen house, had a large window, this one at the far end. All it contained was a bed and a TV. Carla had rushed out of the house, mumbling that she was going to grab a few things to make it more homely. Esme, of course, went to help her.

"Scott," she began, "are you sure about this?"

He stopped admiring the huge flat screen and turned to her as she stood close to the door. Jasper had retreated so they could talk.

"We have a too human mom in our house, what am I to do?"

"But, smart ass, you didn't hurt her or anything. Can't you just accept that and build up the confidence?"

He smiled awkwardly down at his bare feet. Why hadn't he put on shoes when he'd left the house?

"Probably all the excitement," she answered, as though reading his thoughts.

"Look, I can't just change and then stroll out into the outside world like this. My eyes are freaky as hell, too," he scorned, pointing and lowing the rim for emphasis. "I'm not leaving this room until I can go out there and go on a date without the fear of looking into her eyes and her running screaming. I think I'll learn stuff as well, they seem to like their books."

No doubt about that, she noted. He would be a book worm if he stayed much longer than a month. But, despite how he looked, he didn't seem to fit in as one of them. Yes, he was, she had to admit, alarming in how handsome vampirism had made him, and his eyes were startling. He was almost as pale, and his movements were probably faster but controlled. But he was her brother, and it was…strange. He was going to end up knowing more about them than she was.

She exhaled in defeat. "Fine. But, whatever you do, make sure to phone, or text, whenever. I'll be over every day anyway, and make sure Emmett and Edward don't get you making any bets we can't afford, and-"

"Hey hey hey, slow down there," Scott laughed kindly, taking her shoulders into his hands and shaking her. It was suprising how short she was, considering they were related. "I'm going to be just fine, so are you, and so is everyone. I might only be here for a few days, just to, as you say, build up the confidence. So don't worry."

She nodded, and looked like she was going to get emotional. She stood for a few moments, pulling a couple of odd faces, and then gave up.

"What?"

She shrugged. "I felt like I should cry, but I can't."

"Man. Im not used to you expressing emotion. It's terrifying," he joked, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Shut your ugly face," she mumbled into his arm.

…

The rest of the evening was a matter of transferring Scott's belongings. Carla had over indulged a bit and brought most of the whole contents of Scott's room, and Alenia helped furnish only some of it. The more intricate parts, she would leave him for the time he would be sleeping. When time wound to about 9 30, she decided it was time to go. Jasper drove her home, and Michael picked Carla up in their car. The quiet journey left Alenia thinking. She decided she didn't want to be alone, but she didn't know how to approach the subject without blushing.

Instead, she squeezed Jasper's hand, and caught his attention. "What be your thoughts, Darlin?"

"I was just wondering, do you have to hunt tonight?"

He frowned, and then found her meaning, smiling with the hint. "Nope. Why do you ask?" He teased huskily. Her breathing, surplus as it was now, picked up out of habit. "You know why."

He shook his head eagerly. "I most assuredly do not, ma'am. Please, explain your meaning to this simple fellow."

She was getting irritating, but giggled anyway. "Well, simple man, I request your company."

"I'm sorry? This simple man is somewhat hard of hearing."

Alenia exhaled in irritation and, blushing furiously, leaned over to his ear. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered, and the slight tickle on his neck distracted him enough to swerve slightly on the road. Giggling again, she felt victorious.

"Try that on me later when I'm not driving. I beg you."

She settled into a smile, and rested back into the passenger seat. "Take that as a yes then."


End file.
